Shoppers warned to hide purchases

With many Greater Victoria residents starting their Christmas shopping, police are reminding people to keep gifts and packages out of sight. Shopping bags should be kept hidden in the trunk while shopping.

Further, many police departments in the region have an engraver they can loan for free, so items such as bikes and computers can be marked for identification.

People should keep a record of serial numbers for their valuables at home, in case of a theft. The numbers help police return stolen goods to their owners.